# William Shatner and DeForest Kelley - The Straight Dope? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 3, 2008, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677 "2008-06-03T20:15:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2008, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/41 "2008-06-04T20:18:02Z")
[QUOTE=kunilou] I gues it wasn’t [THIS convention.](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6228148405262710055&q=SNL+shatner+get+a+life&total=3&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=2) [/QUOTE] Nope, not that one. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/42 "2008-06-05T03:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=Evil Captor] I’m a distant relative of DeForest Kelley. Does this make me minor Trek royalty? The Duke of Doc? [/QUOTE] I saw him speak in 1974. This was in West Texas, and he was travelling around doing dinner theater at the time. Didn’t go to the play, though. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/43 "2008-06-05T12:11:46Z")
thanks for this - I’d semi forgotten about Night of the lepus, an old favorite of my husband. he’s a challenge to buy gifts for him, and now, he’ll get that dvd . ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/44 "2008-06-05T13:42:14Z")
I’ve always understood that Shatner and Kelley were cordial on-set but didn’t socialize when they weren’t at work. Shatner was resentful of the cultural phenom that Spock became and pointedly noted to Roddenberry and others that they weren’t all working on _The Mr. Spock Show_, but never felt threatened by McCoy groupies. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/45 "2008-06-05T13:48:25Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] I’ve always understood that Shatner and Kelley were cordial on-set but didn’t socialize when they weren’t at work. Shatner was resentful of the cultural phenom that Spock became and pointedly noted to Roddenberry and others that they weren’t all working on _The Mr. Spock Show_, but never felt threatened by McCoy groupies. [/QUOTE] And yet Nimoy was the one actor he was truly friendly with from all accounts. Shatner must have been a lot of fun to work with back then. You never hear anything negative from his \*TJ Hooker \* cast, I wonder if he had matured by then after the early 70s had proved rather hard on him or if they just expected him to act like the “STAR” and so weren’t upset by it. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/46 "2008-06-05T14:32:47Z")
I’ve never read that he blamed Nimoy, who I agree was genuinely his friend, for Spock’s popularity. He just didn’t want Roddenberry, the producers and screenwriters to forget who was the captain of the USS _Enterprise_ and the putative star of the show. And sometimes - often? - he was a jerk about it. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/47 "2008-06-05T15:22:21Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Eh, Star Wars, Star Trek, what’s the difference? One has wookies and the other has hobbits. [/quote] I’m not sure whether to laugh or to unleash the (checks armory inventory) swarms of giant flesh-eating fire ants on you. To be on the safe side I’ll do both. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/48 "2008-06-05T15:24:20Z")
[QUOTE=Skald the Rhymer] I’m not sure whether to laugh or to unleash the (checks armory inventory) swarms of giant flesh-eating fire ants on you. To be on the safe side I’ll do both. [/QUOTE] \*\*Sampiro \*\* is not the first to confuse Hobbits and Tribbles. They are both furry and have voracious appetites. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/49 "2008-06-05T15:30:43Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] \*\*Sampiro \*\* is not the first to confuse Hobbits and Tribbles. They are both furry and have voracious appetites. [/QUOTE] I’m confused. See, my desk is a page ripped out of my copy of Diophantus Arithmetica, on which I seem to have scribbled: “Note to self: Do not murder \*\*What Exit? \*\* – I know you’re sometimes tempted, but there is a good reason to keep him alive, unfortunately too long for the confines of this margin.” Damned if I know why, though. ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/50 "2008-06-05T15:36:19Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Eh, Star Wars, Star Trek, what’s the difference? One has wookies and the other has hobbits. [/QUOTE] Arent’ wookies the things that don’t fall down? I remember my niece having a set when she was a kid. There was the wookie mom, dad, little boy and girl. Maybe even a little dog. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/51 "2008-06-05T17:05:51Z")
The straight dope on Shatner and Kelley? They were two beautiful, strapping men in the prime of life, kept at very close quarters in a tiny space for the duration of their five year missions. Oh, they both talked a good game of getting it on with alien females, but it was code; all females were aliens to these bold Spartan warriors. Sure, they would deal with their tensions in acceptable ways–snapping wet towels at each other in the locker room, starting brawls with those gorgeous, eager-to-accommodate “Klingons,” etc.–but they were passionate men, men, men eager to boldly go where no man had gone before. Repeatedly. Their phasers were permanently set on “hot.” ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/52 "2008-06-05T17:30:38Z")
[QUOTE=Jodi] But the people who work with him on _Boston Legal_ seem to really like him, and he and James Spader are apparently very fond of each other. [/QUOTE] [hijack]The guy from Crash is the guy from Boston Legal! It all comes together for me now![/lightbulb][/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/53 "2008-06-05T19:38:19Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] The straight dope on Shatner and Kelley? They were two beautiful, strapping men in the prime of life, kept at very close quarters in a tiny space for the duration of their five year missions. Oh, they both talked a good game of getting it on with alien females, but it was code; all females were aliens to these bold Spartan warriors. Sure, they would deal with their tensions in acceptable ways–snapping wet towels at each other in the locker room, starting brawls with those gorgeous, eager-to-accommodate “Klingons,” etc.–but they were passionate men, men, men eager to boldly go where no man had gone before. Repeatedly. Their phasers were permanently set on “hot.” [/QUOTE] Please. They were on the _Enterprise_, not the _Raging Queen_. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/54 "2008-06-05T20:20:34Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] Please. They were on the _Enterprise_, not the _Raging Queen_. [/QUOTE] Yes, but “Enterprise” is an anagram for “Terse ‘n’ Ripe,” a clear reference to macho gay sexuality. Next you’ll be telling us that’s a coincidence. Riiight. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/55 "2008-06-05T21:36:25Z")
[QUOTE=plnnr] Arent’ wookies the things that don’t fall down? I remember my niece having a set when she was a kid. There was the wookie mom, dad, little boy and girl. Maybe even a little dog. [/QUOTE] _Psst!_ **plnnr** [Come join us.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=469256) ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/56 "2008-06-05T21:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=Krokodil] The straight dope on Shatner and Kelley? They were two beautiful, strapping men in the prime of life, kept at very close quarters in a tiny space for the duration of their five year missions. Oh, they both talked a good game of getting it on with alien females, but it was code; all females were aliens to these bold Spartan warriors. [/QUOTE] Krokodil is referring to the famous unaired “I Wish I Could Quit You, Enterprise!” episode. It featured the first male-male kiss on TV and the line “Damn it Jim this is Star Fleet, not the 18th century British navy!” (which curiously was spoken by Uhuru). It was the only episode written by George Takei, but Shatner insisted the focal characters be switched from Sulu and guest star Troy Donahue to Kirk and McCoy. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/57 "2008-06-05T22:23:07Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Krokodil is referring to the famous unaired “I Wish I Could Quit You, Enterprise!” episode. It featured the first male-male kiss on TV and the line “Damn it Jim this is Star Fleet, not the 18th century British navy!” (which curiously was spoken by Uhuru). It was the only episode written by George Takei, but Shatner insisted the focal characters be switched from Sulu and guest star Troy Donahue to Kirk and McCoy. [/QUOTE] In deference to the mores of the era, this ep. did _not_ feature a long string of spit, like that girl-on-girl kiss on **DSN**. Takei has expressed regret that his Enterprise didn’t have a holodeck or a steam room, like later iterations of the show, as that would’ve opened terriffic possibilities for the script. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2008, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/58 "2008-06-05T22:45:41Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Krokodil is referring to the famous unaired “I Wish I Could Quit You, Enterprise!” episode. It featured the first male-male kiss on TV and the line “Damn it Jim this is Star Fleet, not the 18th century British navy!” (which curiously was spoken by Uhuru). It was the only episode written by George Takei, but Shatner insisted the focal characters be switched from Sulu and guest star Troy Donahue to Kirk and McCoy. [/QUOTE] **Sampiro** , that is brilliant. If only this was so… then we’d have: [Flash-forwarding thirty years. Cue wavy picture distortion and spacey music] **The Simpsons: Ep. 261:** “Hi, I’m Troy McClure. You may remember me from such films as _The Boatjacking of Supership '79_, _Earwigs, Eww!_, _Today We Kill, Tomorrow We Die_, _The Electric Gigolo_, and a very special guest spot on _Star Trek: The Original Series_…” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/59 "2008-06-06T01:56:42Z")
Ah, yes, I remember it well… ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2008, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677/60 "2008-06-06T03:19:20Z")
[QUOTE=plnnr] Arent’ wookies the things that don’t fall down? I remember my niece having a set when she was a kid. There was the wookie mom, dad, little boy and girl. Maybe even a little dog. [/QUOTE] No, silly rabbit. Those were [webelos](http://www.boyscouttrail.com/webelos/webelos-scouts.asp) – though I’ve never figured out what falling down has to do with scouting. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/william-shatner-and-deforest-kelley-the-straight-dope/451677.md?page=4)